New era beckons as 40-year-old Sheffield firm prepares for move to £65 million 'Chinatown'

Alex Moore

A 40-year-old Sheffield business has revealed its new look as it prepares to be the first to move into the £65 million 'Chinatown' development.

KH Oriental supermarket will take a two-storey space in New Era Square, the huge project under construction at the bottom of London Road.

The firm's managing director Jerry Cheung also runs the company behind the scheme known as Sheffield's 'Chinatown' - New Era Development.

His supermarket has been trading on the site since 1976. But the businessman is now looking forward to welcoming loyal customers and new visitors in the modern 1,200 sq m store when it opens in October, shortly after the first of almost 600 students move in to the new flats.

“We’re looking forward to KH Oriental being the first commercial tenants to set up shop in the fantastic New Era Square building when it opens this autumn," Mr Cheung said.

“I’m grateful to have such a talented and hard-working team at the supermarket, who’ve coped extremely well with having builders on site every day.

The 65 million development is under construction at the bottom of London Road.

"There are changes every day on the run up to New Era Square’s opening, and the move to new supermarket premises is one that’s long overdue.

"The supermarket staff and all our customers will soon get a wonderful reward when the new store opens.

“We’re looking to move over to the new premises, just across the road on Boston Street, in September and we should be open for business in the new store by October.

"I’d like to welcome everyone in the city to come and have a look around when we open - you won’t believe the transformation."

Managing director Jerry Cheung.

The new supermarket will span two levels of New Era Square's block A, which will be the first of three to be completed. The ground floor will be for Chinese restaurants and businesses as a wholesale cash-and-carry outlet, and the first floor will cater to the public.

About 100 students will live in the first block.

The second building, comprising more accommodation and retail units, is likely to be ready by Christmas. A student common room featuring a gym, private cinema and a large kitchen will take up an entire floor.

And the development's key component, the 21-storey Jade Tower that is now a part of Sheffield's skyline, should be finished in May.

How the finished development should look.

As well as living space, retail and food and drink, New Era Square will also be home to Sheffield's first China-UK business incubator.

Mr Cheung hopes New Era Square will mark cultural events such as Chinese New Year and Diwali, as well as offering a new venue for activities such as the Sheffield Food Festival.

He said: "Everybody really is coming together to build something fantastic, which will add enormous economic and community value to the city."